Politics in Port, Part I

The several stakeholders were in the Alebreaker that late morning trying to remember exactly what they'd seen inside the castle the day before. Hangovers didn't help of course, but having a gnome and dwarf who held their liquor well sure did. They took turns with their daggers carving out the map of the place in the huge wooden table there as best they could remember it.

The tabletop was so large that the tree it came from must have been older than the elfs. Older than the druids even. The table was older certainly than the pub, for there was no door grand enough to get the thing in and out. Alebreaker was clearly built 'round the table rather than the table being built for the Alebreaker and its dregs.

Just then, in come Ned Chunk and his brother. Both are mud workers of some very low intelligence. Somehow they track mud everywhere and leave muddy hand prints despite being quite a ways in space and time from their jobs in the mud works. Like the mud just grows from them. Like maggots from meat. Ned and his brother Fat Stanley are themselves unremarkable aside from the stench and natural wretchedness. Somehow though, rumors and news follow them around. 

It was pay day and they come to the Alebreaker Arms Pub and Inn to have a couple of pints and make the immediate vicinity unpleasant with their unusually-offensive voluptuary. But also, Ned tracks in a handbill which had gotten stuck to his galoshes, which then subsequently he leaves behind when departing- for he had no knowledge of it in the first place. Anyway they didn't read and any news inside would probably be lost to them.

Sidru, the utterly mercenary fighting-man and his old mate Angel, the cleric to Stella Solim, pick up the handbill and read together from the part that wasn’t smudged over. After well regarding the contents extant, Sidru called the other stakeholders over and Angel read aloud:

Prime Minister's given another lousye speech and many of the Delegates t' th'Livery are grumblin' f'r a new election or least-ways some re-alignment to oust t'oaf from 'is perch. Business won't be moving throu not less the Prince calls up a new election.

Ghostfire inspiration struck had Sidru, who decided then and there that he was going to install a man in Livery to have a say in City politics. 

“Say, wouldn’t that link boy, Little Liam, make a fine delegate? He’s chipper but at the same time as thick as wheel of cheese," said Sidru, rubbing his hands together like over  a fire.

“Quite so,” replied Angel.

“We shall make it so. We shall ply wee Liam’s strings, our Linkboy in the Livery, and by his lantern we shall see our fortunes fair and brightening!”

“Did you...” started Angel, “did you just make up that couplet?”

“Couplet?”

“Never mind.”

“We shall have to get him into a guild," schemed Sidru. "Somewhere midgish where the journeymen and masters haven’t time nor coin to make attend to Livery.”

“I know of such a guild: the tallow chandlers.”

“Aye. Liam would fit in with them, that ghastly sodding.”

—

The city has one supreme ruler: the Prince. But it also has a structure of government that is intentionally Byzantine. It was designed to keep any one group from amassing enough power to challenge the Prince, while giving everyone buy-in so that nobody important feels disenfranchised. And for  the last 200 years, this has worked. 

There are two houses of council to the Prince in Port. One is the Worshipful Assembly of Livery (Called Livery) and the other is the Peerage.  Today we will talk about the Livery.

The Livery: The Livery is comprised of two delegates from each of the 99 chartered guilds in the city and two Company delegates, each from one non-voting Company. The total number is 200, with three not voting, for a total of 197 voters.

The Livery are listed in the Order of Precedence, which is the order in which the delegates are recognized to speak. The first four guilds rotate precedence based on the size of their delegation coalition.

At the start of each Livery on St. Johnsfeast and into the next week or so, the four top guilds scurry about currying favor with the other guilds. The one to gain the largest coalition on 1 October will be the majority and set the legislative priority and calendar for that season. The other three main guilds will also gobble up what support hey can get in order to vote and speak in blocs.

Usually lesser guilds will not have speakers unless it is of particular importance to that guild, but will rather defer to the leader of the guild with which they have coalesced.

All legislative business originates in the Livery and then goes to the Peerage for Advise & Consent.

The last day of the season is Twelfth Night, which is 6 January, so there are approximately 10 weeks to do the Prince’s business.

Furthermore, one of the delegates will forego his vote and act as the Speaker, who keeps the legislative calendar moving by calling on speakers, limiting debate time and calling for votes.

1.       Worshipful Company of Mercers (Merchants’ Guild)

2.  Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths (Weights and Measures)

3.     Honoured Company of Fishmongers (Dockworkers’ Guild)

4.      Worshipful Company of Librarians (The University)

5.  Worshipful Company of Faculty (magicians and magicians’ apprentices)

6.      Worshipful Company of Grocers (spice merchants)

7.   Worshipful Company of Drapers (wool and cloth merchants)

8.      Worshipful Company of Skinners* (fur traders)

9.       Worshipful Company of Merchant Taylors* (tailors)

10.   Worshipful Company of Haberdashers (clothiers in sewn and fine materials, eg. silk & velvet)

11.   Worshipful Company of Salters (traders of magic item components)

12.    Worshipful Company of Ironmongers

13.    Worshipful Company of Vintners (wine merchants)

14.    Worshipful Company of Clothworkers

15.    Worshipful Company of Dyers

16.    Worshipful Company of Brewers

17.    Worshipful Company of Leathersellers

18.  Worshipful Company of Pewterers (pewter and metal manufacturers)

19. Worshipful Company of Barbers (incl. surgeons and dentists)

20.   Worshipful Company of Cutlers (knife, sword and utensil makers)

21.    Worshipful Company of Bakers

22. Worshipful Company of Wax Chandlers (wax candle makers)

23.   Worshipful Company of Tallow Chandlers (tallow candle makers)

24.   Worshipful Company of Armourers and Brasiers (armour makers and brass workers)

25.   Worshipful Company of Girdlers (belt and girdle makers)

26.   Worshipful Company of Butchers

27.   Worshipful Company of Saddlers

28.   Worshipful Company of Carpenters

29.   Worshipful Company of Cordwainers (fine leather workers and shoemakers)

30.   Worshipful Company of Painter-Stainers

31.  Worshipful Company of Curriers (leather dressers and tanners)

32.   Worshipful Company of Masons (stonemasons)

33.   Worshipful Company of Plumbers

34.   Worshipful Company of Innholders (tavern keepers)

35. Worshipful Company of Founders (metal casters and melters)

36.   Worshipful Company of Poulters (poulterers)

37.   Worshipful Company of Cooks

38.   Worshipful Company of Coopers (barrel and cask makers)

39.   Worshipful Company of Tylers and Bricklayers (builders)

40.   Worshipful Company of Bowyers (long-bow makers)

41.    Worshipful Company of Fletchers (arrow makers)

42.   Worshipful Company of Blacksmiths

43. Worshipful Company of Joiners and Ceilers (wood craftsmen)

44.   Worshipful Company of Weavers

45.   Worshipful Company of Woolmen

46. Worshipful Company of Scriveners (scrollmakers and notaries public)

47.   Worshipful Company of Fruiterers

48.   Worshipful Company of Plaisterers (plasterers)

49. Worshipful Company of Stationers and Newspaper Makers (broadsheeters, dirt merchants and publishers)

50.   Worshipful Company of Broderers (embroiderers)

51.    Worshipful Company of Upholders (upholsterers)

52.   Worshipful Company of Musicians

53.   Worshipful Company of Turners (lathe operators)

54.   Worshipful Company of Basketmakers

55.   Worshipful Company of Glaziers and Painters of Glass

56. Worshipful Company of Horners (horn workers, some magic items)

57.   Worshipful Company of Farriers (horseshoe makers and horse veterinarians)

58.   Worshipful Company of Paviors (road and highway pavers)

59.  Worshipful Company of Loriners (equestrian bit, bridle and spur suppliers)

60. Worshipful Society of Apothecaries (physicians and pharmacists, some potions)

61.  Worshipful Company of Shipwrights (shipbuilders and maritime professionals)

62.   Worshipful Company of Spectacle Makers

63.   Worshipful Company of Clockmakers

64.   Worshipful Company of Glovers

65.   Worshipful Company of Feltmakers (hat makers)

66.   Worshipful Company of Framework Knitters

67.   Worshipful Company of Needlemakers

68.   Worshipful Company of Gardeners

69.   Worshipful Company of Tin Plate Workers

70.   Worshipful Company of Wheelwrights

71.    Worshipful Company of Distillers

72. Worshipful Company of Patternmakers (wooden-shoe makers)

73.   Worshipful Company of Glass Sellers

74.   Worshipful Company of Coachmakers and Coach Harness Makers

75. Worshipful Company of Gold and Silver Wyre Drawers (threadmakers for military and society clothing)

76.   Worshipful Company of Makers of Playing Cards

77.   Worshipful Company of Fanmakers

78.   Worshipful Company of Carmen (vehicle drivers)

79.   Honourable Company of Master Mariners

80.  City Barrister's Company (lawyers)

81.   Worshipful Company of Farmers

82.  Honourable Company of Rare Bestiers (Flying mounts, magical beasts)

83.   Worshipful Company of Tobacco Pipe Makers and Tobacco Blenders

84.   Worshipful Company of Furniture Makers

85. Worshipful Company of Chirugeoners (Medical and alchemical tool makers)

86.   Worshipful Company of Chartered Surveyors

87.   Worshipful Company of Chequermen Infang and Outfang (Accountants)

88.  Worshipful Company of Builders Merchants

89.   Worshipful Company of Launderers

90. Worshipful Company of Propositioners (Insurance salesmen)

91.    Worshipful Company of Arbitrators

92.   Worshipful Company of Mechanicals (dirt and mud workers)

93.   Worshipful Company of Fuellers

94.   Worshipful Company of Interrers (cemetaries and crypts)

95.   Worshipful Company of Constructors (wondrous items)

96.   Worshipful Company of Scrollers (scroll scribes)

97.   Worshipful Company of Pilot-Boatmen (ferry pilots)

98. Worshipful Company of Sergeants (Private security providers)

99.   Worshipful Company of Scholars (Sages)

Other companies:

100.  Company of Parish Clerks

101.   Company of Watermen and Lightmen

These two companies have one delegate each but do not vote. They are controlled directly by the Prince and are responsible for stenography and the Prince’s house maintenance.

As the Livery sends delegates who serve for one term, it is important to gain favor within your guild if you wish to be considered for service. Most guilds are very small, some even just a few people, and the service is considered a chore. But for ambitious Men, becoming a fixture in the Livery brings wealth, prestige, and a chance to help one’s friends and harm one’s enemies.

—

Then on they went to the dungeon, within which they lost two: the barbarian retainer Lionel and the aforementioned Little Liam Linkboy. Both hilariously killed by animated topiary. Lionel squeezes out some last words as he died in his boss’ arms: his dying wish was to have the company inform his wife of his passing. Rest In Peace, little Liam. Rest In Peace, Lionel the Barbarian. Your NPC note cards will forever reside in the Dead Character graveyard.